..to the top!

Yes strange name, coming from a country with close to zero tennis history but his recent results including a thrashing of Robredo at the USO speak for themsleves:

Ernests Gulbis (LAT)

Birthdate: 30-Aug-88

Birthplace: Riga, Latvia

Residence: Jurmala, Latvia

Height: 6'3'' (190 cm)

Weight: 169 lbs (76 kg)

Plays: Right-handed

Turned Pro: 2004

Coach: Niki Pilic


He is certainly a top 5 material and would not be surprised if he joins this club by end of next year if not earlier. From the little I watch he has this faculty of pulling winners from anywhere in the court. He is 1 year 1/4 younger than Djoko and shoudl catch up with him pretty soon.

Early days some will say...but a gut feel tells me he has a great future.

I remember watching Gulbis beat Henman at this year's French Open and being incensed by the BBC commentators who started the match by saying how Henman should have a straight sets victory, to ending it by saying that Gulbis would be the future of all tennis.

I've kept a bit of an eye on his results for the rest of the year and he's had a few good ones. It does seem like the BBC commentators might be proved right..... :unsure:

He really is one to watch. He demolished Henman at the French and did the same to Robredo at the Us Open. He's got ferocious groundstrokes, struck with such depth and accuracy. His backhand looks very technically sound, especially when getting down to low balls.

Technique looks a bit untidy on the serve and forehand, but he's such a raw talent. Give him a year when he'll keep the unforced errors down and he develops his game more, you can definitely see him as a huge threat in the Slams.

Gulbis started this year ranked 140 and has jumped to 47..... :blink: I've posted some of his results this year below - it looks like his run at the US helped his ranking immensely :ok:

Singles Activity - 2007


Mons, Belgium
CH, 1-Oct-07, I, Hard , Draw: 32

R32 Desein, Niels (BEL) 375 7-5 6-1
R16 Sluiter, Raemon (NED) 121 6-4 7-6(6)
Q Roger-Vasselin, Edouard (FRA) 99 6-2 6-4
S Falla, Alejandro (COL) 141 6-4 6-2
W Vliegen, Kristof (BEL) 80 7-5 6-3


US Open, NY, U.S.A.
Grand Slam, 27-Aug-07, O, Hard , Draw: 128

R128 Starace, Potito (ITA) 31 7-5 7-6(4) 6-3 Stats
R64 Berrer, Michael (GER) 84 7-6(4) 6-2 6-1 Stats
R32 Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 8 6-1 6-3 6-2 Stats
R16 Moya, Carlos (ESP) 17 5-7 2-6 7-6(5) 4-6 Stats

Wimbledon, Great Britain
Grand Slam, 25-Jun-07, O, Grass , Draw: 128

R128 Baghdatis, Marcos (CYP) 16 6-3 4-6 3-6 2-6 Stats


London / Queen's Club, Great Britain
International Series, 11-Jun-07, O, Grass , Draw: 56

R64 Kendrick, Robert (USA) 86 6-7(5) 6-7(10) Stats


Roland Garros, France
Grand Slam, 28-May-07, O, Clay , Draw: 128

R128 Henman, Tim (GBR) 53 6-4 6-3 6-2 Stats
R64 Montanes, Albert (ESP) 50 1-6 2-6 6-1 6-7(3) Stats


Marrakech, Morocco
CH, 16-Apr-07, O, Clay , Draw: 32


R32 Ziadi, Mehdi (MAR) 866 3-6 6-3 6-4
R16 Cilic, Marin (CRO) 151 3-6 6-3 4-6


Napoli, Italy
CH, 26-Mar-07, O, Clay , Draw: 32

R32 Petrazzuolo, Giancarlo (ITA) N/A 6-4 6-2
R16 Granollers-Pujol, Marcel (ESP) N/A 7-6(3) 6-3
Q El Aynaoui, Younes (MAR) N/A 4-6 6-2 6-7(6)


Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
CH, 12-Mar-07, I, Hard , Draw: 32

R32 Rosol, Lukas (CZE) N/A 7-6(5) 6-3
R16 Tourte, Nicolas (FRA) N/A 7-6(1) 6-3
Q Karanusic, Roko (CRO) N/A 1-6(4) 6-7(3) 6-4
S Crugnola, Marco (ITA) N/A 6-2 6-4
W Mertl, Jan (CZE) N/A 4-6 6-4 7-6(2)

Besancon, France
CH, 19-Feb-07, I, Hard , Draw: 32


R32 Warburg, Sam (USA) 183 6-4 2-6 6-4
R16 Stakhovsky, Sergiy (UKR) 192 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2
Q Peya, Alexander (AUT) 105 6-3 6-3
S Montcourt, Mathieu (FRA) 155 6-3 6-1
W Roger-Vasselin, Edouard (FRA) 248 6-4 3-6 6-4

Bergamo, Italy
CH, 5-Feb-07, I, Carpet , Draw: 32

R32 Popp, Torsten (GER) 267 6-3 6-2
R16 Wauters, Stefan (BEL) 316 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2
Q Santoro, Fabrice (FRA) 65 3-6 1-6


Heilbronn, Germany
CH, 22-Jan-07, I, Hard , Draw: 32


R32 Zverev, Mischa (GER) N/A 6-4 6-4
R16 Pless, Kristian (DEN) N/A 7-6(2) 6-4
Q Bolelli, Simone (ITA) N/A 6-4 6-1
S Llodra, Michael (FRA) N/A 3-6 4-6

Jo = Stato :P

Thanks for pointing him out Tenez. I'll keep my eye on that fella.

Thanks Jo. Most of his losses came with the tight score.

Just the way Ernests disposed of Johansson and Massu this week is pretty impressive even if those are not in top form currently.

yep, and even the people he's been beating in challengers have been fairly good players :ok: his run at the US open is certainly pretty impressive i think.

i'd also like to point out that looking at his picture makes me feel old....... :cry:

No kidding! he was born in 88? Soon we'll have champions born in the 90s!!!! who won't even know who Sampras and Agassi were!

Yesterday I played with an excellent tennis player - I may have mentioned him in the past with simply an amazing BH - I made a comparison with McEnroe on a particular shot and he said, "you know I am 24 so I have never really watched McEnroe play".

I was shocked!

I watched him agfainst Henman at FO just for the Henman match and he played well but it seems he is rising faster and has talent.

Maybe he can be the top 5 material you sayTenez he clearly has talent.

I remember his groundstrokes were particularly powerful even on a clay court.

to be fair, i'm only 25 so...... :P but Gulbis only looks about 15 :o

Thanks. Now you really make me feel old! :2quiet:

It's ok..cause I am....... :cry:


FW..How is your academy going? Progressing fast?

Yes going well but it is raining today so more gym work :angry:

But it is mucho fun and I am learning Spanish too although i am very crap at it lol.

No te preocupes, despues algunas canas el espanol viene facilamente.

lol they like the canas alright.

Do you know how depressing that is to read Tenez?!

I rather painfully remember this player come to my attention thanks to his pulling Henman apart at the french - but I will try not to hold that against him! Hes certainly leaping up the rankings so clearly one to watch...

:yep: what can we do? Before in the Beeb there was a great poster called Decreptude....she would make us feel young by comparison! ;)

well, she is still about but posting with her to make myself feel younger seems a tad harsh... we need to entice more golden oldies to the board who talk about players I dont know!